In a highly-publicized trial that lasted for weeks, Lori Vallow Daybell, infamous for her children’s disappearance and the subsequent discovery of their bodies buried on her husband’s property, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 50-year-old was found guilty of murdering her 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, along with the murder of her husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy Daybell. Additionally, she was convicted of conspiracy in these murders and grand theft related to the theft of Social Security payments meant for the children. Judge Steven Boyce handed down the maximum sentence, stating that her choices led her down an “evil and destructive path.”
Throughout the trial, witnesses shed light on the couple’s fringe religious beliefs, with Vallow Daybell reportedly believing in “zombies” and demonic possession. She claimed to have communicated with the spirits of her murdered children and her late friend, using these experiences as a defense. Victim impact statements were also presented, highlighting the devastation caused by Vallow Daybell’s actions. Despite her assertions of innocence, the court concluded that she orchestrated the murders, and she was ultimately sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole, as well as a 10-year term for grand theft.
Chad Daybell, Vallow Daybell’s husband, is also facing first-degree murder and conspiracy charges in connection to the deaths of his former wife and the two children. He has opted for a trial scheduled for April 1, 2024, where he could face the death penalty. Both individuals were prohibited from coordinating their defense during the trial. Following her sentencing in Idaho, Vallow Daybell will be extradited to Arizona to face additional conspiracy to commit murder charges in the death of her husband, Charles Vallow, and an attempted shooting in 2019.
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